MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The 49ers’ NFL playoff hopes came to an official end on a day that unofficially encapsulated their entire season.
“It’s happened way too many times this year,” 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa said. “When it rains, it pours.”
The 49ers repeatedly made critical mistakes in every facet of the game in their 29-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.
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The blunders included 11 penalties, including three flags for unnecessary roughness.
“When you have that many penalties, it’s a harbinger of loss,” Bosa said.
Here is the report card from the 49ers’ Week 16 game against the Dolphins:
Rushing Offense
San Francisco 49ers
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Running back Patrick Taylor got the start after injuries to Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo. Taylor did not get much going from the opening drive of the game.
Taylor was held to no gain on a third-and-1 play for a three-and-out on the opening drive of the game. He finished the game with just 24 yards on eight rushing attempts.
Brock Purdy was the team’s leading rusher with 26 yards on four scrambles. Deebo Samuel added 25 yards on five rushing attempts.
Grade: D
Passing Offense
Purdy had a solid day going until he was hit as he was throwing, which contributed to a critical fourth-quarter interception.
Nick Zakelj failed to pick up Calais Campbell on a stunt, which led to the interception that clinched the game.
Calais with the pressure & Kader with the pick 😤#ProBowlVote @CalaisCampbell @_kader___ pic.twitter.com/nfwkrrvyHT
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 23, 2024
Purdy finished with 26 completions on 40 attempts for 313 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.
George Kittle had eight catches for 106 yards, while Samuel had seven catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.
Ricky Pearsall had four catches for 37 yards but was called for lining up in an illegal formation to wipe out a first-and-goal situation in the third quarter.
Grade: C-plus
Rushing Defense
The yards came too easy on the ground for the Dolphins, as they controlled the line of scrimmage in the second half.
De’Von Achane had a big day with 120 yards on 17 carries, including a 50-yard touchdown run that clinched the victory late in the fourth quarter.
As a team, the Dolphins gained 166 yards on 30 carries for a 5.5-yard average.
Grade: D-minus
Passing Defense
Tua Tagovailoa picked the 49ers apart with short, timing passes. The 49ers could not muster much of a pass rush with Maliek Collins getting the only quarterback hit in the game.
The 49ers did a good job against Tyreek Hill, one of the top receivers in the game. He caught just three passes for 29 yards.
Rookie cornerback Renardo Green prevented a touchdown with a pass breakup against Hill in the end zone.
But the 49ers struggled against Achane and tight end Jonnu Smith. Achane had seven catches for 70 yards, while Smith had six receptions for 62 yards.
Grade: C-minus
Special Teams
Special teams have been an issue all season, and Sunday was no different.
There was only one glaring mistake, but it kept points off the board.
Kicker Jake Moody missed a 41-yard field goal outside the left upright in the third quarter.
He is now 23-of-30 on field-goal attempts this season. He made a 21-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Grade: D
Coaching
Kittle made a point to absolve the 49ers’ coaching staff of blame for the load of penalties. He said it’s all on the players for not doing their jobs.
But, of course, there is plenty of blame to go around. And that includes the coaches.
Once again, the right moves were not made at the right times to pull out the victory in a very winnable game.
Grade: D
Overall
This game was the story of the 49ers’ season. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw left early with an injury to his right calf. The 49ers lost two starting offensive linemen, and that proved costly, too.
The 49ers were plagued by sloppiness in all areas. Six of their penalties came on offense. Some of those penalties came at the most inopportune of times.
And, once again, the 49ers could not generate any takeaways while turning it over one time.
Grade: D-minus